On
Yemen, Saudi
Airstrikes
Begin, US
Issues Statement,
Here
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, March
25 -- Three
days after the
UN Security
Council convened
on Yemen for a
rare Sunday
meeting on
March 22 and
issued only a
Presidential
Statement
against
outside
interference,
Saudi Arabia
reportedly
became
airstrikes
against the
Houthis inside
Yemen, citing
Article 51 of
the UN
Charter.
The United
States put out
this
statement:
Statement
by NSC
Spokesperson
Bernadette
Meehan on the
Situation in
Yemen
The
United States
strongly
condemns
ongoing
military
actions taken
by the Houthis
against the
elected
government of
Yemen.
These actions
have caused
widespread
instability
and chaos that
threaten the
safety and
well-being of
all Yemeni
citizens.
The
United States
has been in close
contact with
President Hadi
and our
regional
partners.
In response to
the
deteriorating
security
situation,
Saudi Arabia,
Gulf
Cooperation
Council (GCC)
members, and
others will
undertake
military
action to
defend Saudi
Arabia’s
border and to
protect
Yemen’s
legitimate
government.
As announced
by GCC members
earlier tonight, they
are taking
this action at
the request of
Yemeni
President Abdo
Rabbo Mansour
Hadi.
The
United States
coordinates
closely with
Saudi Arabia
and our GCC
partners on
issues related
to their
security and
our shared
interests.
In support of
GCC actions to
defend against
Houthi
violence,
President
Obama has
authorized the
provision of
logistical and
intelligence
support to
GCC-led
military
operations.
While U.S.
forces are not
taking direct
military
action in
Yemen in
support of
this effort,
we are
establishing a
Joint Planning
Cell with
Saudi Arabia
to coordinate
U.S. military
and
intelligence
support.
At the
same time, the
United States
continues to
closely
monitor
terrorist
threats posed
by al-Qa’ida
in the Arabian
Peninsula and
will continue
to take action
as necessary
to disrupt
continuing,
imminent
threats to the
United States
and our
citizens.
We
strongly urge
the Houthis to
halt
immediately
their
destabilizing
military
actions and
return to
negotiations
as part of the
political
dialogue.
The
international
community has
spoken clearly
through the UN
Security
Council and in
other fora
that the
violent
takeover of
Yemen by an
armed faction
is
unacceptable
and that a
legitimate
political
transition –
long sought by
the Yemeni
people – can
be
accomplished
only through
political
negotiations
and a
consensus
agreement
among all of
the parties.
Some ask: if
Abd-Rabbu
Mansour Hadi
can legally
call for and
get outside
countries'
intervention,
how it is
illegal for
Assad in Syria
to request and
get help from
Iran? What if
Ben Ali or
Mubarak had
requested
other
countries'
airstrikes?
At the US
State
Department
briefing in
Washington,
outgoing
spokesperson
Jen Psaki
would only
confirm that
Hadi left his
residence --
"voluntarily"
-- while at
the UN in New
York Ban
Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
cautioned
against
increased
militarization
in Yemen.
Will the UN
Secretariat
criticize
Saudi Arabia
now? Watch
this site.
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